Alzheimer’s claims 7 lives a day as death toll doubles

SCOTLAND faces a dementia crisis with the number of people dying from Alzheimer’s more than doubling in three years.

The debilitating neurological disease now leads to the deaths of seven people a day in Scotland, while a further 12 die from other forms of dementia.

Statistics published yesterday by the National Records of Scotland show Alzheimer’s claimed the lives of 570 people in the second three months of this year – an increase of 121 per cent on the same period in 2014.

At the same time 936 people were recorded as dying from other dementia – up more than a fifth in three years. In total, 3,383 people died of all types of dementia in the first six months of 2016, an increase of 46 per cent on the first half of 2014.

And yesterday the spiralling levels of Alzheimer’s-related deaths sparked predictions that the disease is set to become the country’s biggest killer.

Experts say the rapidly ageing population is the underlying reason for the increase in dementia deaths and warn that health and social care will be placed under increased strain. Dr Matthew Norton, director of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘Alarming as this report is, we cannot hide away from the reality these statistics represent: the devastating impact of dementia across Scotland.

‘Part of the increase has been driven by changes in the way death records are represented in official statistics.

‘But this does not fully account for the size of the increase and we must face up to the fact that dementia is set to become the UK’s biggest killer.’

Jim Pearson, director of policy at Alzheimer Scotland, said the figures served as a ‘a stark reminder that dementia remains a public health priority at a local, national and global level’.

He added: ‘Scotland has made significant progress in the past decade in improving the care, support and treatment for people with dementia, but much remains to be done to close the gap between the policy commitments and the real experience of many living with dementia.’

Alzheimer’s disease has no known cure and is the main cause of dementia in older people. Its victims are usually given between three and nine years to live.

It affects only two in 100 people aged 65 to 69, but the risk increases to one in five aged 85 to 89. Early symptoms include a loss of shortterm memory and disorientation, but lead over time to a complete loss of bodily function. Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs, who lodged a members bill at Holyrood earlier this year to guarantee free personal care to under-65s with conditions such as dementia, said: ‘Longer life expectancy is good news for everyone, but we can’t ignore the different challenges that brings.

‘The SNP has had a decade to prepare for this, and we need to start seeing signs that this government has a plan.’

Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt last night insisted the Scottish Government had plans in

‘We can’t ignore the challenges’

place to cope with the problem: ‘Our National Dementia Strategy sets out actions to transform services and improve outcomes for people with dementia, their families and carers.’

Research commissioned last year by the Scottish Government found that while there were 16,172 people newly diagnosed with dementia in 2014, this is expected to rise by 20 per cent by 2020.

Age Scotland spokesman Richard Baker said: ‘With this increase comes the need to provide services for people, ensuring they have the support and care they need.’